Source: The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) welcomes the decision to expand funded influenza vaccination to all children aged six months up until their fifth birthday.
The College has been advocating directly to Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the Ministry of Health for broader influenza vaccine eligibility, including through a recent letter highlighting the need to better protect young children, and other priority groups, from serious illness.
College President Dr Luke Bradford says, “This decision is great news for New Zealand families. Young children experience some of the highest rates of influenza-related illness and hospitalisation, and we know Māori and Pacific children are disproportionately impacted.”
Dr Bradford attended this morning’s announcement with Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister David Seymour and says this will make it easier for families to access preventative health care and protect the youngest members of our communities.
“Removing cost as a barrier means more tamariki can access protection against influenza through their local general practice team, close to home and in the communities where they live.”
The College says the decision reflects the importance of listening to specialist GPs working on the frontline of community care who are seeing the impact of seasonal illnesses every day and understand where preventative actions can have the greatest effect.
“This is an example of what can be achieved when policy decisions are informed by clinical evidence, health equity considerations and the real-life experiences of patients accessing care,” says Dr Bradford.
This announcement also reinforces the value of general practice and primary care as the foundation of a sustainable health care system.
“Some of the most important health care happens before a patient ever needs to go to hospital. General practice is where preventative health care happens, and vaccinations are one of the best examples of how accessible, community-based care can prevent serious illness, reduce hospitalisations and keep people well.”
The College is encouraging practices to proactively reach out to eligible families, particularly Māori, Pacific and other communities at higher risk of severe influenza outcomes to ensure they are aware that the vaccination is now funded.
“General practice teams are trusted members of their communities, and we are uniquely placed to identify patients who would benefit most from vaccination.
“When we invest in prevention and make it easier to access care, we improve health outcomes not only for individual patients but across the wider health system,” says Dr Bradford.